Women's Basketball

Women's Hoops Falls To LSU In NCAA Opening Round, 84-78

BOULDER, Colo. - Doneeka Hodges had 22 points, and Aiysha Smith had 17
points and 12 rebounds as sixth-seeded Louisiana State beat Santa Clara 84-78
in the first round of the West Region on Friday night.

LSU (18-11), ranked No. 22, shot 50 percent and was 6-for-11 from 3-point
range. The Tigers will face third-seeded Colorado, which beat Southern 88-61,
in the second round on Sunday.

Santa Clara (21-10), one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country,
was just 7-for-21 from long range. Julie Butler led the Broncos with 18 points
and 10 rebounds.

Santa Clara took a 69-66 lead on a 3-pointer by Tammy Annas, but LSU
followed with a 10-2 run. Ke-Ke Tardy capped it with a free throw that put the
Tigers up 76-71 with four minutes left.

LSU's Temeka Johnson tied it at 78 with a jump shot, then Scholanda Dorrell
hit a runner after an offensive rebound to put the Tigers up by two with 35
seconds left. Johnson hit two free throws to put LSU up 82-78 with 17 seconds
left after Rhea was called for traveling.

Gruening missed a 3-pointer with six seconds left, and Johnson ended it with
a breakaway layup at the buzzer.

Johnson finished with 16 points and seven assists.

Gruening, eighth nationally in 3-point shooting at 45 percent, was 3-for-10
from long range and finished with 14 points.

It was the 1,000th game in the history of the women's NCAA tournament.